Pallet



Dec. 12, 1961 R. L. GREENE 3,012,747

PALLET.

Filed June 14, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

R. L. GREENE Dec. 12, 1961 PALLET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1960INVENTOR. Kelp/4 64 5i BY 4 MM J I7 fig/44d irroez/vs United StatesPatent G 3,012,747 PALLET Ralph L. Greene, Jacksonville, Fla, assignorto Owens- Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Filed June 14,1960, Ser. No. 35,996 6 Claims. (Cl. 248.i20)

This invention relates generally to pallets, and more particularly topaperboard pallets, foruse in connection With material handlingequipment, such as industrial fork lift trucks and the like.

My invention, in its illustrated form, is primarily directed to a palletwhich is formed of a, sheet of paperboard material which is scored andfolded to form a plurality of generally U-shaped depending channelswhich are spaced apart and interconnected by means of horizontal panels.Each of the channels has a plurality of transverse slots which arearranged to form pairs of oppositely disposed bands. These bands arefolded to an inverted position whereby they form a rectangular openingwith the remainder of their respective channel. Runners are insertedinto the channels and extend through the openings, whereby a pair ofoppositely disposed bands coact and cooperate with the runners tomaintain the channels erect.

Pallets of the general type having an elevated platform supported by aplurality of parallel spaced apart runners are well known in the art.They are, however, ordinarily formed of wood and are quite costly andexpensive. They are objectionable because of their high initial cost,and

because their weight results in high freight charges for their returnshipment for reuse, which is dictated by their high initial cost.Disposable corrugated paperboard pallets have been found objectionablebecause their construction has not allowed easy assembly, and becausethey have required fastening devices such as staples, glue, or tape,which often are not available for on-the-job assembly.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide an inexpensivepallet of simple construction, the economics of which permit it to bedisposed of after one use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pallet formed ofcorrugated paperboard which may be easily and quickly erected withoutthe use of any additional fastening devices.

The specific nature of this invention, as well as other objects andadvantages thereof, will become apparent to those skilled in the artfrom the following detailed description taken in conjunction with theannexed sheets of drawings, on which, by way of example only, thepreferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a paperboard blank incorporating myinvention;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of an erected channel formed byfolding the paperboard blank;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of an erected channel with thebands folded to form a rectangular opening with the channel;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an assembled pallet incorporating myinvention; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

The assembled pallet P, as illustrated in FIG. 4, may consist of afolded paperboard blank and runners 30. The paperboard blank 10, whichis preferably constructed of corrugated paperboard and is shownin-fiattened form in FIG. 1, has a plurality of parallel laterallyspaced scores 12 which define the side margins of a plurality of panels.The scores 12 are spaced to provide three groups of channel-formingpanels 13, 14, and 15 of equal width.

Patented Dec. 12, 1961 Interspaced between these groups ofchannel-forming panels are horizontal panels 16, 17, 18, and 19.

Each group of channel-forming panels has extending across its width twogroups of three transverse slots 20, 21, and 22 which are arranged toform pairs of opposed bands 23 and 24. Of a group of slots, theoutermost slot 20 spans two adjacent channel-forming panels, the centerslot 21 spans three adjacent channel-forming panels, and the innermostslot 22 spans two adjacent channelforming panels, but not the same two.panels spanned by the outermost slot. Thus, when the blank is folded toform a depending channel (see FIG. 2), each group of slots forms a pairof oppositely disposed bands 23 and 24 which are generally L-shaped insection. It is to be understood, of course, that other arrangements ofslots may be used to form the bands. For example, a pair of oppositelydisposed spaced apart bands may be formed by four slots. It is onlyimportant that each channel have at least one pair of oppositelydisposed bands, although I have found it preferable that two pairs ofbands be formed for each channel.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5., the fillers or runners 30, as illustratedin this embodiment, consist of longitudinal strips of corrugatedpaperboard which have been placed in face-to-face relationship to form alongitudinally extending parallelepiped which vis substantially squareincross-section. The runners may be formed by slit scoring a sheet ofcorrugated paperboard which is then accordion folded. It is to beunderstood, of course, that the material of which the fillers or runnersare constructed is determined by the nature of the goods beingpalletized. For instance, blocks of wood may be used where greaterstrength is required.

In erecting and assembling a pallet, a blank 10' is folded to form threedepending channels. The bands 23 and 24 are then folded to an invertedposition so that they have a portion 25 vertically spaced above and inparallel relationship with the bottom of the channel, thereby forming,in association with the channel, a generally square opening. See FIGS. 3and 5. Next, the fillers 30, which are sized to fit slidably within thechannel and square openings formed by the channel and the bands, areinserted into the channels. The pallet P, as thus assembled, is completeand ready for use. When a load is placed on the pallet, the side Wallsof the channel tend to move slightly about in a lateral direction. Thepairs of oppositely disposed bands coact to restrain this lateral movement and prevent collapse of the channels. The lateral movement of theside Walls of the channel also draws the hands down against the runnersto hold them securely in pallet incorporating my invention can be formedwith any number of channels.

It will also be understood that various details of construction may bemodified through a wide range without departing from the principles ofthis invention, and it is not, therefore, the purpose to limit thepatent granted otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appendedclaims. I

I claim: 7 I

1. A pallet for use with fork lift trucks comprising a sheet ofpaperboard having a multiplicity of spaced parallel scores defining theside margins of a plurality of panels, said sheet being folded toposition certain panels in a common horizontal plane, the remainder ofsaid panels being folded to form a plurality of generally U-shapeddepending parallel channels interspaced between said certain panels, aplurality of load bearing fillers respectively inserted in saidchannels, and means integral with said sheet for maintaining saidchannels upright and locking said fillers in place, said means includingat least one pair of oppositely disposed bands for each of saidchannels, said bands being formed by a plurality of transverse slotsextending across said channel-forming panels, each of said slotsextending completely across at least two of said channel-forming panels.

2. A pallet as defined in claim 1, wherein said fillers comprise aplurality of strips of paperboard placed in faceto-face relationship.

3. A pallet comprising a sheet of paperboard scored and folded to form aplurality of spaced apart U-shaped channels foldably connected alongtheir upper edges to horizontal panels, load bearing fillers inserted ineach of said channels, and a plurality of pairs of oppositely disposedbands cut from the panels forming said channels and folded to in partoverlie said fillers, said bands arranged to restrain the side walls ofthe channels against outward lateral movement.

4. A pallet comprising a sheet of paperboard having a multiplicity oflaterally spaced parallel scores, said sheet folded along said scores toform a plurality of generally U-shaped depending parallel channelsinterconnected by horizontal panels, each of said channels having sideand bottom panels of equal width and two groups of transverse slotsextending across said side and bottom panels, each of said groups ofslots arranged to form pairs of oppositely disposed bands, each of saidbands folded to an inverted position to form a generally square openingwith its respective channel, and a load bearing filler inserted in eachof said channels, said fillers extending through said openings andcoacting with said bands to restrain said side panels against outwardlateral movement.

5. A pallet as defined in claim 4, wherein said fillers comprise aplurality of strips of paperboard placed in faceto-face relationship andadapted to fit slidably within said channels and openings.

6. A pallet comprising a sheet of paperboard scored and folded to format least one depending channel, said channel having a bottom panel andoppositely disposed side panels, a plurality of slots extending acrosssaid panels and arranged to form at least one pair of oppositelydisposed bands, said bands being folded to have a portion parallel toand vertically spaced above said bottom panel to enclose a portion ofsaid channel, and a load bearing filler element inserted in said channeland extending through said enclosed portion, thereby cooperating withsaid bands to restrain said side panels against outward lateralmovement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,446,914 Fallert Aug. 10, 1948 2,696,356 Baumann Dec. 7, 1954 2,904,297Hamilton Sept. 15, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 527,812 Great Britain Oct. 16,1940

